The Israel Defense Forces said it recently carried out strikes on an Iranian nuclear-related site near Tehran, claiming the facility was involved in work linked to nuclear weapons development. The military identified the site as the Taleghan compound, located on the northeastern outskirts of the capital and also referred to as Min Zadai, The Times of Israel reported.

According to the Israeli military, the strike was conducted during several waves of air force attacks in the area over the past few days. The operation, it said, targeted infrastructure connected to Iran's alleged secret nuclear weapons programme known as the AMAD Project.

"STRUCK: The 'Taleghan' compound, a site used by the Iranian regime to advance nuclear weapons capabilities. The compound was used to develop advanced explosives and conduct sensitive experiments as part of the covert 'AMAD' project in the 2000s," the IDF posted on X.

Site allegedly used for weapons research

Israeli officials said the facility had been used in recent years for "the development of advanced explosives and for conducting sensitive experiments" connected to nuclear weapons capabilities, as per The Times of Israel.

Military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said intelligence agencies tracked nuclear scientists who were allegedly travelling secretly to the site. By monitoring these movements, the IDF said it concluded that activities at the compound were linked to attempts to revive elements of nuclear weapons research, The Jerusalem Post reported.

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The compound had previously been targeted in October 2024 after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on Israel. Israeli officials now claim that Iran had begun rebuilding the facility after that strike.

A report by the Institute for Science and International Security, authored by its president David Albright, said satellite images showed new construction at the site, including a roof structure believed to conceal activities.

Nuclear facilities under scrutiny

Global attention has largely focused on Iran's uranium enrichment facilities, particularly the Natanz nuclear facility, located about 220 kilometres south of Tehran. The site hosts a large number of centrifuges used for enriching uranium.

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Another key site is the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center, around 350 kilometres south of Tehran. The complex has both above-ground and underground facilities involved in producing uranium metal and gas used in the enrichment process, JP reported.

Satellite imagery from Planet Labs and other sources has indicated ongoing construction at several Iranian nuclear sites, including protective structures built over underground facilities.